Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Parnell on September 28, 2019, 12:47:29 pm
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Thought I would post a couple pictures of this tree. There are several planted at the school I teach at.
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I see a few bows in that multi trunk, Steve. Maybe contact maintenance or do a midnight run. >:D
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A midnight run! I’m going to cut a stave and let it season. There is a fancy straight reflexed piece I have my eye on!
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Leaves...
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Cool! I remember a guy from Florida years ago posted a snakewood bow he made with stone tools.
It’s a native tree there isn’t it?
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That would be Ryan Gill, the one bow he made that really impressed me http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,47421.msg647762.html#msg647762 ...What's the address of that school? Lol
Don
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This is where names become confusing. The Snakewood typically mentioned as such is probably not the Florida type but rather the highly figured South American species.
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I already told you I'll take one when you do it. ;D
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Goat, the Bow Ryan Gill did the article on was a subspecies, Surinam Cherry.
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I remember Ryan’s article. I thought he located this same variety, but not sure. These trees are “White Stopper” trees. They have loads of white flowers all over in the spring and then produce the small berries. I am surprised I don’t see them used in landscaping more frequently, being native.
I’ve been given a thumbs up to take a some of the pieces, so we’ll see. I’ll update.
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I think Ryan said that "snakewood" he used was so dense it sank in water
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I thought snakewood is very rare?
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That would depend on the snakewood. The highly figured stuff is.
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PatM, there is some of the figured stuff in the everglades but most of what I heard was there is on the Miccosukee Reservations.
Steve, I talked to Ryan at the TBOF shoot after he wrote the article. He said it was Surinam.
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Hmm. Interesting, Eddie. I just don't know for sure what to think as it doesn't seem ultimately clear what's what. The suriname cherry that grows in my neighborhood is more like a hedge. Well...only one way to find out of this is what is it supposed to be. Highly figured stuff? You guys mean like the grain being so highly interwoven?
When I cut the pieces I've been green-lit on I'm figuring on just sealing the ends and leaving them be. Leaving the rind-like "bark" on. Some of the other tropical varieties I've taken over the years can have a tendency to check real bad when drying if they are cut/split.
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This is probably the species most would think of when talking Snakewood wood-database.com/snakewood/
I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere that it was used for bows
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The highly figured stuff IS the type raved about for bows in the past. The Thompson's loved the stuff and many old publications mentioned its excellence for bows. There's little evidence that it ever grew in Florida. The Thompson's obtained it in finished bow form from England. It was always backed with hickory.
It's quite hard to locate in bow lengths now.
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Looks like a crepe myrtle relative...
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Marc - thanks for that link. From the information there, these trees are not "Snakewood". From that link's info it seems that it doesn't even grow in the US. I'm wondering if the term is being used generically. People can draw their own conclusions.
I'm still wondering if this White Stopper does well for bow wood...it flowers and produces a fruit. We'll see.
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Some of the issue is due to Hill mentioning his Florida Snakewood bow and the Thompson's using their bows in Florida.
The Thompson's were very specific in mentioning that their bows were English made. At the time tropical timber bows were very common.
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PatM - That makes sense with the British colonies and importing wood from the Carribean - S America. I think Guyana was British...maybe it was sourced there?
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Apparently most snakewood comes from Suriname which was Dutch in that era. Still, things were traded extensively. During the Victorian era all sorts of exotic woods ended up in bows and it likely wasn't all from former British colonies.